Armed forces as a share of the population — all countries

Armed forces as a share of the population — South America

Armed forces as a share of the population in South America in 2022 — 0.252%. Since 1960, the indicator has fallen by 0.12 pp.

2022 0.252% −0.001 pp vs 2021
World rank
Period maximum 0.475%1977
Period minimum 0.244%2006

Trend over time

1960–2022 · % of population

Armed forces as a share of the population — South America, 1960–20220.20.30.40.519601967197419811988199520022009201620221960: 0.372%1962: 0.38%1964: 0.468%1966: 0.458%1968: 0.447%1970: 0.438%1972: 0.438%1974: 0.455%1976: 0.472%1978: 0.468%1980: 0.465%1982: 0.468%1984: 0.445%1986: 0.433%1988: 0.322%1990: 0.317%1992: 0.305%1994: 0.301%1996: 0.293%1998: 0.282%2000: 0.261%2002: 0.259%2004: 0.258%2006: 0.244%2008: 0.294%2010: 0.283%2012: 0.274%2014: 0.268%2016: 0.257%2018: 0.261%2020: 0.265%2022: 0.252%
Change over the period: −0.12 pp Annual average: 0 pp

Comparison, 2022

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: South America

South America 0.252%
World computed 0.259%
Armed forces as a share of the population — South America, by year South America All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2022 0.252 −0.001 pp
2021 0.253 −0.012 pp
2020 0.265 +0.006 pp
2019 0.259 −0.003 pp
2018 0.261 +0.003 pp
2017 0.259 +0.001 pp
2016 0.257 −0.012 pp
2015 0.27 +0.001 pp
2014 0.268 −0.002 pp
2013 0.271 −0.003 pp
2012 0.274 −0.003 pp
2011 0.277 −0.006 pp
2010 0.283 +0.001 pp
2009 0.282 −0.012 pp
2008 0.294 +0.045 pp
2007 0.248 +0.004 pp
2006 0.244 −0.007 pp
2005 0.251 −0.006 pp
2004 0.258 −0.006 pp
2003 0.263 +0.005 pp
2002 0.259 −0.005 pp
2001 0.264 +0.003 pp
2000 0.261 −0.014 pp
1999 0.276 −0.006 pp
1998 0.282 −0.008 pp
1997 0.29 −0.003 pp
1996 0.293 −0.003 pp
1995 0.296 −0.005 pp
1994 0.301 +0.001 pp
1993 0.3 −0.005 pp
1992 0.305 +0.001 pp
1991 0.304 −0.013 pp
1990 0.317 −0.004 pp
1989 0.321 −0.001 pp
1988 0.322 −0.115 pp
1987 0.437 +0.004 pp
1986 0.433 +0 pp
1985 0.432 −0.013 pp
1984 0.445 −0.02 pp
1983 0.465 −0.003 pp
1982 0.468 +0.008 pp
1981 0.461 −0.005 pp
1980 0.465 +0.009 pp
1979 0.456 −0.012 pp
1978 0.468 −0.006 pp
1977 0.475 +0.003 pp
1976 0.472 −0.001 pp
1975 0.472 +0.018 pp
1974 0.455 +0.009 pp
1973 0.446 +0.007 pp
1972 0.438 +0.01 pp
1971 0.428 −0.01 pp
1970 0.438 −0.012 pp
1969 0.45 +0.003 pp
1968 0.447 −0.003 pp
1967 0.45 −0.008 pp
1966 0.458 −0.009 pp
1965 0.467 −0 pp
1964 0.468 −0.004 pp
1963 0.472 +0.092 pp
1962 0.38 −0.005 pp
1961 0.385 +0.013 pp
1960 0.372

About the indicator

Military personnel on active duty as a percent of the entire population of the country. The indicator answers the question of how large the armed forces are relative to the size of the country — an army that is large in absolute numbers in a large country can come out smaller by this measure than the small army of a small state.

Important: A close indicator — the share of the labor force — answers a different question: what part of those able to work is occupied in the army instead of the economy. In countries with young populations the two diverge noticeably.

Source: Military Expenditure Database (SIPRI), license SIPRI terms of use.